I wave over the bartender. Thank fuck it’s Mick and not Hattie.

“Give me a Coors, will ya? And another round for these three beauties.”

The one next to me turns her head, her eyes raking down the front of me, slowly taking me in. She’s hot enough. Blonde, short hair. Blue eyes. A smile that doesn’t make me stupid as shit. In other words, exactly what I fucking need.

Mick hands me my beer and gives the girls refills.

I lean closer to the one brushing up against my arm, doing all she can to press her tits into me. “I’m Reed. What’s your name, baby?”

Her eyes widen, she wets her lips nervously, biting and licking them like she can’t decide what to do. Her hand falls to my thigh. “Kellie. Thanks for the drink.”

“No problem. What brings you girls out tonight?”

I really don’t need her to answer this question. The way her nails are clawing at my leg is giving away why she’s really here, no matter what her next words are.

She sets her glass down and shifts on her stool. Her leg nudges between mine. “My boyfriend and I just broke up. My friends think I need to forget all about him. So I’m here.”

“Lucky me.” I grab my beer and take a long sip. “I’m looking to forget about someone too. We can help each other out with that.”

“Girlfriend?” she asks, leaning closer, practically crawling into my lap. “Did she break up with you?”

No, but shit if it doesn’t feel like she did.

“I just need a distraction.”

Smiling, she takes a sip from her straw, then pushes her drink away. Her free hand brushes against my cock. “I can be very distracting. My ex used to say I had the best mouth at Ruxton U.”

“Is that right?” I force myself to stay engaged. To seem interested. It’s a fucking struggle.

She nods, licking the corner of her mouth, pressing firmly against my flaccid cock. “Yup. Wanna find out for yourself?”

Christ, just do it. You’ll get into it once she starts.

I stand and Kellie takes the cue. Tossing two twenties onto the bar, I wrap my arm around her as needy hands tug at the bottom of my shirt, brushing against my lower abs. We get halfway to the exit before she pushes against me.

“Oh, wait! I forgot my purse.”

She runs back over to the bar. I stand in the middle of the dance floor, watching Kellie lean in and whisper to her friends. I’m trying to keep my interest on this chick. Problem is, my cock isn’t feeling it. I’m not feeling it.

Why the fuck am I here?

This isn’t going to work. Kellie’s not going to do anything for me. None of the women here would do anything for me. I turn to get the hell out of here and my eyes slam on the figure standing at the end of the bar.

Two plates in her hands. A fucking apron around her waist. Jimi Hendrix clinging to those perfect tits.

The only woman who would ever do something for me.

What the fuck? She’s working here? And Hendrix? Why the fuck is that sexy?

Our eyes lock, my heart joins my dick and reacts to her like I don’t want it to, beating erratically against my sternum, making my chest ache. She’s beautiful. Crazy, shining at me like a beacon, beautiful. Her hair pinned up off her neck. Her brown eyes lined with makeup, making them pop out even more at me. Those thick lips that still look swollen from our night together.

I want her. Fuck, I want her.

A hand pushes against my chest. Beth breaks eye contact, looking at something else. Or someone else.

I can’t think straight. God, I’m so hard. So fucking hard because of Beth. Always because of Beth. I close my eyes.

“Stroke my dick. Ah, yeah, like that. Fuck, look how hard I am. Look what you do to me.”

The night air hits me. My back presses against a wall. Something tugs at my belt as a burst of images fill my head.

Beth kneels between my legs, fists my cock, and swallows me whole like she’s been starving for it.

“Fuck.” My hands thread through her hair. “Your mouth. Holy shit,” I moan, lifting my hips off the mattress. So good. So fucking good. “God, Beth. Ah, fuck, don’t stop.”

A soft hand wrapping around my base snaps me into coherence. I look down at Kellie, on her knees outside the bar, hungry eyes staring up at me. The wrong color. Blue, instead of brown. Her lashes not as thick, not fluttering like they should be as her breathing quickens. She leans in to take me into her mouth.

“Fuck, stop.” I push her hand off and tuck my cock back into my jeans. I can’t do this. I don’t want to do this.

Kellie lifts her head and glares up at me with wet lips. “What the hell?”

“This isn’t working for me. No offense.”

“Isn’t working for you?” She sits back on her heels and gestures to my cock. “You’re rock hard.”

Yeah, and it has nothing to do with you.

“How is this not working for you?” Her mouth falls open, eyes widening. “Oh my God. Are you gay?”

I laugh, zipping up and tightening my belt. Offering her my hand, I help her to her feet. “You have no idea how easy my life would be right now if that were the case. Go back inside to your friends. This isn’t going to happen.”

She looks up at me, confused, then shrugs her shoulders before turning and walking away. “Your loss,” she yells out, just before disappearing to the front of the building.

I palm my erection, rubbing my other hand down my face.

I should go in there. Talk to Beth, explain shit.

No, fuck, I need to get out of here. She said yes to CJ. What the fuck is there to explain?

I dig my keys out of my pocket, my other hand pulls out my phone. I send one message before I get the hell out of here. Why I send it? I have no fucking idea.

Me: Nothing happened.

Beth

“HOW ARE YOU DOING OVER there?”

I look up at Riley from across the small kitchen at Holy Cross. It takes a few seconds for my eyes to adjust, for the smile she’s fighting to come into focus. “Huh?”

She laughs, setting the baking sheet of dinner rolls on top of the counter. “You’ve been stirring those instant potatoes for the past ten minutes, which would be fine if the burner was turned on.”

“What?” I look down at the knob on the stove. I never turned it on? Are you kidding me right now? My hand clutching the spoon stills, my other forming over my eyes.

How am I doing? Not fucking good, apparently.

“Maybe I should switch with Wendy. I don’t know how I could screw up refilling the napkin dispenser.” I turn the burner on and continue stirring.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Talk about what?”

“Oh, I don’t know. The current situation in the Middle East? Kanye West’s unwavering affection for himself?” She lifts an eyebrow when I finally look up. “Obviously, whatever it is that has you spacing out over there. You can talk to me. My brother says I’m irritatingly perceptive when it comes to stuff.”

Riley moves around the kitchen, grabbing the serving trays and getting everything ready for the crowd we’re expecting today.

Maybe I’ll feel better talking to somebody about this. I debated on bringing it up to Mia when she called me over the weekend, but after making plans for another girl’s lunch, she had to get off the phone. She was at a doctor’s appointment and her name had been called. The more I think about it, the more I’m glad I haven’t asked her opinion on this. She’s friends with both Reed and CJ. I wouldn’t want Mia to feel like I’m putting her in between the two of them. Same with Tessa. But Riley could give me an unbiased opinion. And I need an opinion. Bad.